As Zhang Fan departed, the onlookers dispersed, and the day's events quickly spread throughout the war base.
"Iron Monkey, what are your thoughts?" Chihu Zhenxian asked Tie Hou after returning to their cave.
"Twenty immortal treasures are no small sum. Brother Chihu, don't rush into a challenge. That Shi Jue Zhenxian is too confident. He seems to have no special tricks, but that's the most terrifying part," Tie Hou said, shaking his head. "I usually pick on newcomers for gambling matches, but this time I've truly hit a wall."
Chihu Zhenxian nodded. "My strength ranks among the top fifty out of over a thousand five-star generals in the war base. There's still a gap between me and those at the very front. Someone will eventually crack this tough nut, so we can just watch the show. As for the ten immortal treasures you lost, don't worry about it. As long as you focus on improving your strength, the military merits gained from killing an enemy four-star general will offset them."
Tie Hou Zhenxian nodded. In the end, gambling matches at the war base were just for amusement. To truly earn military merits, one had to fight on the starry battlefield.
...
"Master, you have so many immortal treasures, you can't possibly use them all. Why don't you let me pick one?" Xue Mo Jiao pestered Zhang Fan as soon as they returned to the cave, wanting an immortal treasure.
"Why wouldn't I need them?" Zhang Fan stared at Xue Mo Jiao. "I came to this starry battlefield to earn a million military merits before I can leave. These forty immortal treasures, while seemingly a lot, only amount to a little over a hundred thousand military merits when exchanged. I'm still far from my goal. If you want immortal treasures, go fight in the river of stars yourself."
"Only a little over a hundred thousand?" Xue Mo Jiao's face immediately fell. Knowing his request for immortal treasures was futile, he realized he had to rely on himself to get rich. "When are we going to venture into the river of stars? I've looked at the war base's data. The river of stars contains all sorts of treasures. If we could get a Great Dao Secret Treasure, we'd truly be set."
"Wait two more days. Someone will probably come looking for me for a gamble tomorrow. After one last harvest, we can head to the battlefield."
"I really wonder which unlucky soul it will be tomorrow," Xue Mo Jiao shook his head. If his strength were sufficient, he'd also want to participate in gambling matches.
The Pang brothers were completely bewildered. This captain was far too confident, treating the top five-star generals of the war base like leeks to be harvested. If this conversation were to get out, Zhang Fan would immediately become an public enemy of the war base.
...
Zhang Fan's victory over Lieyang Zhenxian did indeed make many people pause, as they couldn't believe it was pure luck. However, there were also cultivators brimming with confidence in their own strength. No matter how strong Zhang Fan was, his realm was still only mid-stage Refinement Realm. Could he really compare to peak Refinement Realm powerhouses?
The next day, when Zhang Fan returned to the决战擂台 (Jue Zhan Lei Tai - Decisive Battle Arena), two five-star generals simultaneously approached him, wishing to gamble. Today, thousands of people had gathered around the arena, but they were mostly cultivators below the six-star general level. Nascent Soul Realm cultivators were rare in the war base, and those with the leisure to spectate were even rarer.
"It's actually Pu Ji Zhenxian and Gu Hai Zhenxian."
"These two are ranked within the top five among the war base's over a thousand five-star generals. It seems Shi Jue Zhenxian has become too arrogant, and these two can't stand it anymore," people whispered, wondering if Zhang Fan would still dare to accept the challenge.
Seeing the two approaching him, Zhang Fan couldn't help but smile. "You two have proposed a gamble simultaneously. I don't know who to fight. Why don't you two discuss it?"
Pu Ji Zhenxian and Gu Hai Zhenxian exchanged glances, understanding each other's intentions. Twenty immortal treasures were a considerable amount of military merits for them, and neither was willing to back down easily.
As the two remained locked in a stalemate, Zhang Fan spoke up. "How about this? Since you both came to gamble, you must have prepared twenty immortal treasures each. I happen to have forty immortal treasures. Whichever of you fights, hand over your twenty immortal treasures to the other and bet them all!"
Zhang Fan's words instantly set the scene ablaze. Forty immortal treasures was indeed a colossal gamble. Pu Ji and Gu Hai were surprised by Zhang Fan's boldness, but since he had proposed it, they had no reason to back down.
"Since Fellow Daoist Shi Jue is so decisive, I won't waste everyone's time," Gu Hai Zhenxian conceded, taking out his twenty immortal treasures and handing them all to Pu Ji Zhenxian.
Zhang Fan nodded and stepped onto the Decisive Battle Arena. Pu Ji Zhenxian followed suit. Pu Ji Zhenxian was a man who appeared very young, with handsome features and a graceful demeanor. Once inside the arena space, he flipped his hand and produced a three-foot-long sharp sword. His eyes calmly fixed on Zhang Fan. "Fellow Daoist Shi Jue, upon entering the war base, you dare to challenge all five-star generals with such a heavy stake. I admire you."
"I broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm through the Way of the Sword and have now cultivated to the late stage of the Refinement Realm. Fighting against Fellow Daoist Shi Jue gives me a significant advantage, but I won't hold back."
Zhang Fan shook his head, producing a blood-colored long sword. "It is I who have the advantage. Fellow Daoist Pu Ji, you don't need to hold back."
"Interesting!" Pu Ji Zhenxian smiled upon seeing Zhang Fan also produce a long sword. "A competition of swordplay then? I'd like to see what path your Way of the Sword takes, Fellow Daoist Shi Jue."
Boom!
A sharp sword intent surged around Pu Ji Zhenxian. He stepped forward with his three-foot-long sword, launching a frontal attack. The speed was extraordinary, reaching Zhang Fan's face in an instant.
"Still as a mountain, moving like a fierce wind. The application of sword intent rules is truly varied," Zhang Fan's eyes lit up, reflecting a beam of sword light. With a slight shift of his foot, he easily dodged it.
"Sword One."
As Zhang Fan moved, he simultaneously swung his sword, causing the approaching Pu Ji Zhenxian's figure to momentarily falter.
"A decent sword technique," Pu Ji Zhenxian praised. His movements were like a phantom, and where he passed, sword light followed, forming a river of sword energy in his wake, encircling Zhang Fan.
"Sword Two."
Surrounded by the river of sword energy, Zhang Fan remained focused, continuing to unleash the Wordless Sword Manual. The moves were simple, akin to the very creation of 'sword' – straightforward chops and slashes. Pu Ji Zhenxian watched, his heart trembling. He stared intently at Zhang Fan's sword trajectories, a flash of inspiration crossing his mind.
Slash!
A gap appeared in the river of sword energy conjured by Pu Ji Zhenxian, but it quickly sealed itself.
"Sword Three."
Zhang Fan seemed to be practicing a sword technique, appearing simple and natural. Yet, only Pu Ji Zhenxian, who had perfected the same sword intent rules, could sense an invisible force being drawn and attaching itself to the blood sword, making Zhang Fan's sword moves increasingly powerful.